Self-checkout stations at grocery stores and other retail stores are well known. The stations permit a consumer to scan items for purchase so the station may identify the items and a corresponding price. When the consumer indicates all items for purchase have been presented to the terminal, a sub-total is accumulated, any taxes and discounts are computed, and a total amount due is displayed for the consumer. The station then allows the consumer to select a payment method. The station presents menu selections to the consumer so funds are transferred to the retailer's account. Upon confirmation of payment, the items are released to the consumer.
A self-checkout station typically includes a terminal, a scanner and scales for reading unit price codes (UPC) and determining item weight, a cashier keypad and display, a POS terminal for payment entry, a receipt printer, a change unit, and a checkout area for holding items once they have been scanned. The terminal also includes a display, a processor, memory, programmed instructions, and data peripherals to control the operations of the station. The programmed instructions may contain modules for querying for item prices, computing totals and performing other functions related to the purchase of items through a self-checkout station. Some checkout station may also include security agent software that operates to reduce the likelihood that the consumer leaves without scanning all of the items or exchanges scanned items with more expensive items that have not been scanned.
Typically, previously known security agent software display messages directing the consumer to remove an item from the bagging area and rescan the item. Such software may also issue an audible warning for the consumer to repeat some action in response to detection of some activity that may indicate a fraud being perpetrated. Although such actions are intended to prevent the likelihood of a perpetrator completing a fraudulent checkout, they do not effectively lead to the apprehension of those attempting such fraudulent transactions or the identification of such persons for enhanced future scrutiny of such persons. In previously known self-checkout stations, those attempting to defraud a retail store may simply leave without completing any transaction or make a small purchase before leaving. Thus, such persons may be able to leave the store and contemplate another effort to defeat the security agent software without concern that their previous attempt and personal identity have become known to the store's security personnel.
Although many self-checkout stations have a security camera mounted on a pole coupled to the station or several stations may be located within the viewing area of a single security camera, identification of perpetrators is still difficult. Identification data is difficult to obtain because the defrauder may orient himself or herself in a way that diminishes the amount of detail available to the camera. Additionally, many security cameras have a limited amount of image storage and may not record image data unless a security violation is detected or the camera may overwrite image data before security personnel can retrieve the image data. Also, a single camera rotating within a dome housing may sweep the checkout area where defrauding activity is occurring only once, if at all, during execution of the defrauding activity.
What is needed is a way of better collecting identification data of persons operating a self-checkout station.
What is needed is a way of improving the likelihood of collecting detail image data of persons operating a self-checkout station.
What is needed is a way of securing storage of image data pertaining to defrauding activity that occurs at a self-checkout station.
What is needed is a way of notifying security personnel of defrauding activity while it is occurring so the perpetrator may be apprehended.